Your daily dose of dishonesty: Romney: "I'll Take A Lot Of Credit' For Auto Industry"

**Whitehouse** · May-08-12, 11:44 AM

This coming out of the mouth of Mitt "Let Detroit go bankrupt" Romney!@!

Despite his 2008 call to "let Detroit go bankrupt," presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said Monday that he would "take a lot of credit" for his impact on the U.S. automobile industry's comeback.
During an interview with WEWS-TV in Cleveland following a campaign stop, Romney said his views helped save the industry.
"I pushed the idea of a managed bankruptcy," Romney said. "And finally, when that was done, and help was given, the companies got back on their feet. So I'll take a lot of credit for the fact that this industry's come back."
Both General Motors and Chrysler ended up taking the massive federal loans supported by both President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush. The bailout included managed bankruptcy filings for both companies. According to the federal judge who presided over Chrysler's bankruptcy in 2009, the company would not have survived without the bailout. Ford survived without taking a government loan.
Romney's stance on the bailouts and his infamous 2008 New York Times op-ed "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt," have come up throughout the campaign, especially ahead of February's primary in Michigan. In that editorial, Romney argued that a government bailout for ailing auto giants Chrysler and General Motors would do more harm than good.
"If General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye," Romney wrote. "In a managed bankruptcy, the federal government would propel newly competitive and viable automakers, rather than seal their fate with a bailout check."
Romney also spoke out on his opposition to the government loaning money to the industry in 2009, placing some of the blame on Bush

Detroit's finest....

**poobert** · May-08-12, 12:00 PM

Whether you're conservative, liberal, or something in between, Romney is truly odious. I know among some folks distate for Obama runs deep, but you'd really have to hold your nose to vote for Romney. I haven't seen any real grassroots support for Romney, just grassroots anti-Obama stuff. You can't win a campaign that way. As much as many dislike Obama I can't see a snowflakes chance in hell for Romney. You've got to have some principals and stick by them, or at least make it seem that way. To be fair, he has consistently stuck by his Mormon faith, which also can't help him. To top it off he doesn't have ANY of the regular-guy appeal of Bush Jr. or the venerable war hero persona of McCain. Just an out-of-touch ultra-millionare, attempting to be everything to everyone.

**stinkytofu** · May-08-12, 12:06 PM

Honestly one of the most mind-blowingly bizarre things I've ever heard a politican say...and that's saying a lot. It is just completely detached from reality.

**Whitehouse** · May-08-12, 12:11 PM

Forgot the source. The rest of the article you can read at HuffPo

**mwilbert** · May-08-12, 12:14 PM

I can't imagine this is going to help his credibility, which isn't so great to start with. One thing about Romney is that he lies even more than the usual politician. I don't know if expectations for politicians' honesty are so low that they can't be exceeded on the downside, but this may be the election where we find out.

It is also weird that he would want to draw attention to this at all. Sometimes I don't understand the Romney campaign.

**Whitehouse** · May-08-12, 01:25 PM

Let's balance it a bit.

**Zacha341** · May-08-12, 01:36 PM

Point well taken. With the fact that president Obama will probably be re-elected the job is to course correct where needed and cheer him on otherwise.

Originally Posted by poobert

As much as many dislike Obama I can't see a snowflakes chance in hell for Romney. You've got to have some principals and stick by them, or at least make it seem that way. To be fair, he has consistently stuck by his Mormon faith, which also can't help him.

**Whitehouse** · May-08-12, 02:13 PM

I'm not American but when I would have been I think I would have voted....

...Cam Brady!

**jtf1972** · May-08-12, 02:27 PM

Come on... don't we all remember when Mitt "Stand Your Ground" Romney opposed President Obama's attempt to destroy the auto industry and put millions of Americans out of work? His stance that the workers would suffer without GM & Chrysler was surely one he can be proud of. If the President had got his way we'd all be driving Soviet cars now built by the Viet Cong!

**Wingnatic** · May-08-12, 02:43 PM

I believe W was thinking about bailing out the auto industry when time ran out in his last term , Mitt's a phony but go ahead and vote for him . If it were between Mitt and this guy in the video , I'd vote for Pat

**Jimaz** · May-08-12, 06:09 PM

Mike Thompson said, er, drew it best:

Credit Where Credit Is Not Due

**kathy2trips** · May-08-12, 07:12 PM

Not crazy about Romney, but my grandparents fled Socialism, so sure not going to vote for President Marx-a-lot. They might as well have stayed in Europe.
I guess since Obama was claiming credit for "taking out" Bin Laden, Romney felt he had to stoop to his level.

Awful strategy, though.

**kathy2trips** · May-08-12, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Whether you're conservative, liberal, or something in between, Romney is truly odious.....

The truly odious thing is that a great many politicians are odious by nature. As long as Obama's opponent isn't Putin, I'm voting for the other one. The guy who fixed the Olympics, or the guy who screwed up.....everything? Not a tough choice.

**Jimaz** · May-08-12, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by kathy2trips

... I guess since Obama was claiming credit for "taking out" Bin Laden, Romney felt he had to stoop to his level....

What? Do you think Obama claimed credit for taking out bin Laden with his own hands? Or do you think bin Laden is still alive? Or, what?

**mwilbert** · May-08-12, 10:15 PM

The guy who fixed the Olympics, or the guy who screwed up.....everything? Not a tough choice.

I'm not silly enough to think you are going to change your mind, but most people think that things were already quite screwed up when Obama took office. He really didn't have opportunity to screw up everything.

**313WX** · May-08-12, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by Wingnatic

I believe W was thinking about bailing out the auto industry when time ran out in his last term.

He did technically bail out the Auto Industry.

During his last month in office, he extended an EXTREMELY TINY portion of TARP to the car companies.

It was a purely political move of course, because it was quite likely that there would be no American Auto Industry for Obama to save had it not been for Bush's initial "bailout" and he didn't want to be known as the president who killed the American Auto Industry as well.

**jerrytimes** · May-08-12, 10:56 PM

If you vote for Obama you're as dumb as the idiots [[me) that voted for Bush the 2nd time. I'll admit I was fooled, and when I saw his opponent it made it easier for me to do what I thought was right.

Obama has nothing to run with. That video above is full of bullcrap and lies. The unemployment rate has been higher through his entire term than what it was at any point in Bush's presidency, he can't stop spending taxpayer dollars, something that Bush also did too much of [[he spent 4 Trillion in 8 years, Obama has spent over 5 Trillion in 3 and a half years). Auto bailouts were talked about before he was elected and the Democratic party [[Barney Frank) is to blame for the housing crisis. The final straw as to why I won't vote for this man is his 'low tax rates' on the middle class. That's a huge lie, I paid about $500 more in taxes last year, and I made less money, and I'm middle class. This year [[from what I've read) they let some tax cuts expire and my taxes should be going up another $700 or so if I make the same amount.

**Don K** · May-08-12, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by kathy2trips

the guy who screwed up.....everything

Mmmm... well, if you recall, the economy in January 2009 was in freefall, losing what, 750,000 jobs per month? Under the Republicans' professed preference in policy [[tax cuts for the rich, zilch or tax increases for the rest of us, massive reductions in government spending) the economy would still be in freefall. And if Romney had his way, the economy in Michigan simply wouldn't exist anymore. At least the policies of the Obama administration got things stabilized and moving [[too slowly) in the right direction.

Electing Romney would be a return to the policies of the Bush administration [[good times for NYC and Texas, stagnation or recession for everyone else, and wars, endless wars). But the thing that frightens me about Romney is that he can't even stand up to a pipsqueak like Bryan Bleeding Fischer. What hope is there for his foreign policy if he's afraid of that man?

**jerrytimes** · May-08-12, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by Don K

Mmmm... well, if you recall, the economy in January 2009 was in freefall, losing what, 750,000 jobs per month? Under the Republicans' professed preference in policy [[tax cuts for the rich, zilch or tax increases for the rest of us, massive reductions in government spending) the economy would still be in freefall. And if Romney had his way, the economy in Michigan simply wouldn't exist anymore. At least the policies of the Obama administration got things stabilized and moving [[too slowly) in the right direction.

Electing Romney would be a return to the policies of the Bush administration [[good times for NYC and Texas, stagnation or recession for everyone else, and wars, endless wars). But the thing that frightens me about Romney is that he can't even stand up to a pipsqueak like Bryan Bleeding Fischer. What hope is there for his foreign policy if he's afraid of that man?

I recall that things were ok during the Bush years, and then when the Democrats held the house and senate things started to change.

I do enjoy the Liberal viewpoint though. 3.5 years into Obamas rein and it's still all Bush's fault. Please....

Also, tax cuts for the rich aren't a bad idea? Have you ever worked for a poor person? Probably not. Also, "tax cuts" for the rich brought their taxes down to something like 33% of their income. Middle class people don't even pay 15% in income tax.

**313WX** · May-08-12, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by jerrytimes

If you vote for Obama you're as dumb as the idiots [[me) that voted for Bush the 2nd time. I'll admit I was fooled, and when I saw his opponent it made it easier for me to do what I thought was right.

Obama has nothing to run with. That video above is full of bullcrap and lies. The unemployment rate has been higher through his entire term than what it was at any point in Bush's presidency, he can't stop spending taxpayer dollars, something that Bush also did too much of [[he spent 4 Trillion in 8 years, Obama has spent over 5 Trillion in 3 and a half years). Auto bailouts were talked about before he was elected and the Democratic party [[Barney Frank) is to blame for the housing crisis. The final straw as to why I won't vote for this man is his 'low tax rates' on the middle class. That's a huge lie, I paid about $500 more in taxes last year, and I made less money, and I'm middle class. This year [[from what I've read) they let some tax cuts expire and my taxes should be going up another $700 or so if I make the same amount.

And electing Romney will do what for us exactly?

**jerrytimes** · May-08-12, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

And electing Romney will do what for us exactly?

Don't know what Romney will do but Obama hasn't done anything. Seriously, he hasn't even accomplished what he ran on last time. I'm mad the Romney is whos going up for the Republicans, but the last president was garbage, we re-elected him like idiots, and this president is garbage as well.

**jerrytimes** · May-08-12, 11:12 PM

Give me an Obama accomplishment other than getting the troops out of Iraq? Sure, he's a nice guy, sure, he's a good speaker, but he is one of the worst presidents ever. From day one his goal should have been JOBS JOBS JOBS, but no, it was health care, which ended up really being a law that requires you to purchase health insurance. That worked out well.

**Don K** · May-08-12, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by jerrytimes

the Democratic party [[Barney Frank) is to blame for the housing crisis.

In what way is the Democratic Party to blame for the housing crisis? Last I checked, the Republicans were in charge of Congress from 1995 through 2006. The banks created the housing crisis all by themselves by pushing subprime mortgages that they could creatively package into securitizations that obtained AAA ratings, secure in the knowledge that when the shit hit the fan they wouldn't be allowed to fail, their shareholders would be protected, and their bonuses would be safe.

And don't bring up CRA. Just don't. That's a nit on the balance sheets of the banks. Their investment in subprime mortgages went way beyond any CRA requirements.

**jerrytimes** · May-08-12, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by Don K

In what way is the Democratic Party to blame for the housing crisis? Last I checked, the Republicans were in charge of Congress from 1995 through 2006. The banks created the housing crisis all by themselves by pushing subprime mortgages that they could creatively package into securitizations that obtained AAA ratings, secure in the knowledge that when the shit hit the fan they wouldn't be allowed to fail, their shareholders would be protected, and their bonuses would be safe.

And don't bring up CRA. Just don't. That's a nit on the balance sheets of the banks. Their investment in subprime mortgages went way beyond any CRA requirements.

I believe Congress passed the law in 1992 which caused this, Barney even admitted that it was a mistake recently. Easy to say after he announced that he's retiring. It's common knowledge that Frank was a huge supporter of this years ago.